Toy electric railway



Dec. 3, 1940. E BEYER El-AL 2,223,905

TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY Filed April 14. 1938 .p l h e' Z1 D ,jaen/Z073; Ev7 a' Z.L B eyer am; J waZJ /lscler Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY Application April 14, 1938, SerialNo. 202,107 In GermanyJanuary 20, 1938 14 Claims.

projects through the body of the track or the middle rail. The armatureis preferably designed as a pivotally mounted bell-crank lever, the onearm of which serves as the armature, while the other arm-designed as anoblique plane on both sides, in the longitudinal directionprojects, whenthe magnet is energised upwardly, through a slot in the middle rail, andlifts and uncouples the coupling member of the vehicles running on thetrack.

The coupling member of the vehicles preferably consists of a rockable(e. g. pivotable) longitudinal link, which is provided, on the underside, with a transverse bar, and, on sliding over the oblique surfacesof the armature arm projecting through the middle rail, is lifted and,by means of a preferably integral transverse bow, disengages thecoupling link of the one vehicle from the coupling hook of the othervehicle.

In the case of a toy railway equipped with the device designed inaccordance with the invention, the coupled vehicles of a train can beuncoupled from the switchboard while running, by actuating a switchbefore the vehicle to be uncoupled reaches that point on the track atwhich the electromagnet is installed. It is-thus possible to couple anduncouple the vehicles, and also assemble a train in the manner usual inordinary railway practice. Consequently, a toy railway of this kindenables a highly diversified gameA to be played, thereby stimulating theimagination of the player, apart from the increased possibilities oi thegame. Particular importance attaches to the possibility of uncouplingthe vehicles in both directions of running. Thus, for example, a trainwhich runs between two terminal stations and therefore changing itsdirection from time to time, can be uncoupled on each section of track.

The invention will be clearly understood from the following descriptionaided by the accompanying drawing in which: a typical embodiment of theinvention is illustrated and in which, Figure 1 is a view of a portionof the track from below, Figure 2 is a side elevation of portions ofcars situated on the track, Fig. 2a is a side view and a longitudinalsection through that part of the new device which is incorporated in thebody `of the track, Figure 3 is a plan of a portion of the track, andFigure 4 a plan of the coupling yarrangement on the vehicles.

Arranged on the body a of the track are the two outer rails b and b',and the middle rail c. Underneath, in the body of the track, isincorporated the electrically controlled switch device, which, in theembodiment shown, consists of an electromagnet Z, Z.

l'I'he magnet armature h is formed by one arrn of a bell-crank leverpivotally mounted at f, the other arm e of said lever, engaging in aslot d in the middle rail c and projects above the same (as indicated bybroken lines in Figure 2), by means of a portion` g, when the armatur his attracted by the magnet coil, that is to say, when the electromagnetl, Z is switched into the circuit. That portion g, `of the arm e, whichprojects above the middle rail, is provided, in the longitudinaldirection with oppositely directed oblique surfaces g' and g2.

Engaging the armature h at i is a spring 1c, which returns the armatureinto the neutral position, and holds it there, when the current is cutoff.

The electromagnet l, Z is preferably interposed in the main circuit.Itis connected, on the one hand, with the contact spring t'attached tothe middle rail, by means of the cable u, and, on the other hand, bymeans of the cable u and clamp m, with the other pole of the source ofcurrent for the main circuit.

The cable v could also be connected to the live outer rail. The rstnamed method is, however, preferable, since the voltage existing betweenthe rails is liable to fluctuate owing to the varying speed of thevehicles.

When the lever arm e, g assumes the position indicated by the brokenlines, and a train comes forward in the direction of the arrow cc, thetransverse bar o of the link downwardly extending pivoted longitudinallink n which engages the coupling hook s on both sides, slides over theoblique surface g' of the lever arm e, g, thereby swinging the linkn--which is pivotally mounted at r-into the position shown by the brokenlines. At the same time, the coupling link q--which is connected(preferably integrally) with the longitudinal link n by a cross linkp-is forced upwards, and therefore swung out of the coupling hook s ofthe next vehicle, thus uncoupling the latter.

The cross link p engaging under the coupling link q, projects, by twolateral extensions p', beyond this latter link on both sides, so thatthe coupling link q, when in the operative position, nds an abutment onthe cross link p, which forces it upwards during the upward swing of thelongitudinal link 11,.

The ends s of the coupling hooks s slope upwards, so that, for couplingtwo vehicles together, the coupling link q of the vehicle w2 slidesautomatically into the coupling hook of the vehicle w', when the twovehicles come together.

As is evident from the drawing, the coupling members of all the vehiclesof a train are alike. Each Vehicle is provided with one set of suchcouplings in front and rear.

In order to illustrate the remote control system of applicants inventionFigure 1 shows diagrammatically a wiring diagram in which the electricleads U and V of a track section A are connected to a circuit 2. Anysuitable source of power, such as battery 3 may be provided and anordinary switch 4 which may be mounted on a switch-board or any otherremote point is also connected in the circuit. When it is desired touncouple at a particular point in a train between two adjacent cars, theoperator waits until the coupling between the two adjacent cars to beuncoupled almost reaches the lever e at which time he depresses oractuates the electric switch 4 to close the circuit between the battery3 and the electric magnet Z and Z. This will immediately force the arm gupwardly so that it will strike the first of the pair of uncouplinglinks 1L to uncouple one or both coupling links q. The uncoupled carswill stop and the remaining portion of the train will proceed further.As will be noted in Figure 2a, the second following link n of theuncoupled car, when it reaches the oblique surface g will force thelever g back down or will tend to stop" the uncoupled car or cars if theelectric current is not of sufcient strength to overcome the inertia ofthe moving uncoupled cars. In any direction of movement of the train theleading uncoupling link 11, will always be located in the rightdirection to uncouple one or both coupling links q.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declarethat what we claim is:

1. Remote-control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric vehicles, comprising an electrically actuated device having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track and means in the trackoperatively associated with the magnet to coact, when actuated by themagnet, with a coupling' member of a vehicle, said means being composedof an armature for the electro-magnet having a lever secured theretowhich is adapted to project above the middle rail of the track tocontact a member of a Vehicle to uncouple the latter, and means actuatedfrom a remote point for energizing the electromagnet.

2. Remote-control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric vehicles, cornprising an electrically actuated device having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track and means in the trackoperatively associated with the magnet to coact, when actuated by themagnet, with a coupling member of a vehicle, said means being composedof a pivotally mounted bell-crank lever of which one arm serves as anarmature and the other arm projects through a slot in the middle rail ofthe track when the amature is attracted by said magnet, and meansactuated from a remote point for c-niergizingV the electro-magnet.

3. Remote-control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric railways, comprising an electrically actuated device having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track and means in the trackoperatively associated with the magnet to coact, when actuated by themagnet, with a coupling member of a vehicle, said means being composedof a pivotally mounted bell-crank lever of which one arm serves as anarmature and the other arm projects through a slot in the middle rail ofthe track when the armature is attracted by the magnet, and the leverarm projecting through the slot in the middle rail being provided withtwo oppositely directed oblique surfaces to contact a member of avehicle, and means actuated from a remote point for energizing theelectro-magnet.

4. Remote control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric railways, comprising an electrically' actuated device having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track and means in the trackoperatively associated with the magnet to coact, when actuated by themagnet, with a coupling member of a vehicle, said means being composedof a pivotally mounted bell-crank lever of which one arm serves as anarmature and the other arm projects through a slot in the middle rail ofthe track when the armature is attracted by the magnet, a tension springof which one end is connected to the track and the other end to thearmature of the bellcrank lever to return the lever to non-operativeposition, and means actuated from a' remote point for energizing theelectro-magnet.

5. Remote control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric railways, comprising an electrically actuated device having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track and means in the trackoperatively associated with the magnet to coact, when actuated by themagnet, with a coupling member of a vehicle, said means being composedof a pivotally mounted bell-crank lever of which one arm serves as anarmature and the other arm projects through a slot in the middle rail ofthe track when the armature is attracted by the magnet, and a bar foreach coupling member extending down toward the middle rail and beinglifted by the second-mentioned arm of the lever to disconnect thecoupling of the one vehicle from the coupling hook of the adjacentvehicle, and means actuated from a remote point for energizing theelectromagnet.

6. Remote-control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric vehicles having coupling links and hooks, comprising anelectrically actuated device having an electro-magnet mounted in thebody of the track and having means in the track operatively associatedwith the magnet to coact, when actuated by the magnet, with anuncoupling member of a vehicle acting on the coupling links, theuncoupling device member consisting of, a downwardly extending pivotallongitudinal link having a member extending around a coupling hook,which is adapted to engage under the coupling link, and means actuatedfrom a remote point for energizing the electro-magnet.

7. Remote-control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric vehicles having coupling links and hooks, comprising anuncoupling device, an electrically actuateddevice having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track having means in thetrack operatively associated with the magnet to coact, when actuated bythe magnet, with the uncoupling device of a vehicle, the uncouplingdevice consisting of a downwardly extending pivotal longitudinal linkhaving a member extending around a coupling hook which is adapted toengage under the coupling link, and the member having lateral extensionswhich serve as an abutment for the coupling position but will swing saidlink upwards, out of the coupling hook, during the act of uncoupling,and means actuated from a remote point for energizing theelectro-magnet.

8. Remote-control uncoupling system for a three-rail track, for toyelectric railways, com-` prising an electrically actuated device havingan electro-magnet mounted under the body ofand between the two outerrails of the track and means in the track associated with the magnet tocoact through the middle rail, when actuated by the magnet, with amember of the vehicles to uncouple the latter, and means actuated from aremote point for energizing the electro-magnet.

9. Remote-control uncoupling device, incorprorated in the track, for toyelectric railways, comprising an electrically actuated device having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track, means in the trackassociated with the magnet to coact, when actuated by the magnet, with acoupling member of the vehicles, said means being composed of anarmature for the electro-magnet having a lever secured thereto whichprojects through the track to contact the coupling member of thevehicles, and means for energizing said electro-magnet. v 10. Anuncoupling device for the coupling hoo and coupling link of a toyrailway car adapted to be actuated by a member in the track, comprisinga trip device pivotally mounted on the car, said device having adownwardly extending member and a part extending around both sides ofthe hook, said trip device when actuated by the member in the track byrotating the trip device around its pivot by means of the downwardlyextending member, contacting and lifting the coupling link from thecoupling hook of an adjacent car by means of the part extending aroundthe hook.

11. An uncoupling device according to claim 10 in which the partextending around both sides of the hook constitute a pair of lateralextensions by means of which said part contacts and lifts the couplinglink.

12. An uncoupling device according to claim 10, in which a lever arm isprovided pivotally mounted in the track which when actuated will rotatethe downwardly extending member of the trip device to uncouple the cars.

13. In combination with a coupling hook and coupling link of a toyrailway car adapted to be actuated by a member in the track, anuncoupling device comprising a trip device pivotally connected on thecar on the axis of the coupling link, said trip device having adownwardly extending member, and an arm at right angles thereto andadjacent the hook whereby, when said downwardly extending member isactuated by the member in the track said arm will directly contact thecoupling link to lift the latter from a coupling hook of an adjacentcar.

14. Remote control uncoupling system, for a three-rail track, for toyelectric railways, comprising an electrically actuated device having anelectro-magnet mounted in the body of the track and means in the trackoperatively associated with the magnet to coact, when actuated by themagnet, with a coupling member of a vehicle, said means being composedof an armature for the electro-magnet having a lever secured theretowhich is adapted to project above the middle rail ofv the track tocontact a member of a vehicle to uncouple the latter.

ERNST BEYER. OSWALD FISCHER.

